GEORGE A. GONZALEZ - fieldi

28THE POLITICS OF AIR POLLUTIONOn broad issues, such as air pollution, business leaders are also able toarrive at policy agreement and consensus through “policy-planning networks.”According to G. William Domhoff, the policy-planning network iscomposed of four major components: policy discussion groups, foundations,think tanks, and university research institutes. This network’s budget, in largepart, is drawn directly from the corporate community. Furthermore, many ofthe directors and trustees of the organizations that comprise this policy-planningnetwork are often drawn directly from the upper echelons of the corporatecommunity and from the upper class. These trustees and directors, inturn, help set the general direction of the policy-planning organizations, aswell as directly choose the individuals that manage the day-to-day operationof these organizations (Domhoff 2002, chap. 4).Domhoff describes the political behavior of those members of the economicelite that manage and operate within the policy-planning network:The policy-formation process is the means by which the power elite formulatespolicy on larger issues. It is within the organizations of the policy-planningnetwork that the various special interests join together to forge, however,slowly and gropingly, the general policies that will benefit them as awhole. It is within the policy process that the various sectors of the businesscommunity transcend their interest-group consciousness and develop anoverall class consciousness. (Domhoff 1978a, 61)Therefore, those members of the economic elite that operate within the policy-planningnetwork take on a broad perspective, and act on behalf of theeconomic elite as a whole. Within this policy-planning network, members ofthe economic elite take general positions on such issues as foreign policy, economicpolicy, business regulation, environmental policy, and defense policyquestions (Weinstein 1968; Eakins 1969; 1972; Kolko 1977; Domhoff 1978a,chap. 4; 2002, chap. 4; Barrow 1993, chap. 1; Gonzalez 2001a; 2001b).This broad perspective also allows the policy-planning network todevelop plans and positions to deal with other groups and classes. The network,for example, develops positions and plans concerning such policy areasas welfare and education. These plans can take several forms depending onthe scope and level of the problems facing the business community and thestate (Weinstein 1968; Eakins 1972; Domhoff 1978a; 1990; 1996; 2002; Barrow1990; 1992; 1993, chap. 1; Dowie 2001; Cyphers 2002; Roelofs 2003).Domhoff argues that the focal point in the policy-planning network isthe policy discussion group. The other components of the policy-planningnetwork—foundations, think tanks, and university research institutes—generally provide original research, policy specialists, and ideas to the policydiscussion groups (Domhoff 1978a, 63). Policy discussion groups arelargely composed of members from the corporate community and the upperclass. Examples of policy discussion groups are the Council on Foreign Rela-